On the death of Anne of Brittany, her husband King Louis XII honoured her with exceptional funeral ceremonies lasting forty days, which sealed forever her image as Queen of France and Duchess of Brittany.
As he prepared this programme centring on the Missa pro defunctis of Antoine de Févin, and read the exceptionally vivid narrative by the herald of Anne of Brittany (whom her subjects nicknamed simply ‘Bretaigne’!), Denis Raisin Dadre realised that beyond all this official mourning staged by the royal authority, there was also a silent sorrow, that of the Bretons who had lost their duchess and were also in the process of losing their duchy’s independence.
He wanted to make the voices of the people heard behind the voices of the king’s singers, and so he asked Yann-Fañch Kemener to contribute some traditional Breton gwerzioù.
These solo songs act as a counterpoint to the complex polyphony which expresses all the pomp of royalty.
His voice allows us to hear the Breton people, so attached to their Duchess Anne who had bequeathed them her heart and who are still extraordinarily attached to her today.
Fiere Attropos Mauldicte
Skolader Yaouank
Coeur Désolez: Plorans Ploravit
Qui Dabit Oculis Nostris
Anaig Ar Glaz
Messe De Requiem: I. Introit: Requiem Aeternam
Messe De Requiem: II. Kyrie
Messe De Requiem: III. Graduel: Si Ambulem In Medio Umbrae Mortis
Messe De Requiem: IV. Verset: Virga Tua
Messe De Requiem: V. Tractus: Sitivit Anima Mea
Messe De Requiem: VI. Fuerunt Mihi Lacrimae
Messe De Requiem: VII. Misere Mei Domine
Messe De Requiem: VIII. Offertoire: Domine Jesu Christe
Messe De Requiem: IX. Verset: Hostias Et Preces Tibi, Domine
Messe De Requiem: X. Quam Olim Abrahae
Messe De Requiem: XI. Sanctus
Messe De Requiem: XII. Benedictus
Messe De Requiem: Xiii. Coeur Désolez: Dies Illa, Dies Irae
Messe De Requiem: XIV. Agnus Dei
Messe De Requiem: XV. Communion: Lux Aeterna Luceat Eis, Domine
Messe De Requiem: XVI. In Paradisum
Messe De Requiem: XVIi. Stabat Mater
Traditional: Skolader yaouank
Skolader yaouank
Josquin des Prez: Cueurs desolez: Plorans ploravi
Cueurs desolez: Plorans ploravi
Quis dabit oculis (attrib. to Senfl)
Quis dabit oculis
Traditional: Anaig ar Glaz
Anaig ar Glaz
Antoine de Fevin: Messe de Requiem
Introit: Requiem aeternam
Kyrie
Graduel: Si ambulem in medio umbrae mortis
Verset: Virga tua
Tractus: Sitivit anima mea
Fuerunt mihi lacrimae
Misere mei Domine
Offertoire: Domine Jesu Christe
Verset: Hostias et preces tibi, Domine
Quam olim Abrahae
Sanctus
Benedictus
Coeur Desolez: Dies illa, dies irae
Agnus Dei
Communion: Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine
In paradisum
Stabat Mater
24th July 2011
“What makes the disc really special are the interpolated solo numbers by the present-day Breton chansonnier Yann-Fañch Kemener, singing gwerzioù (epic laments) that movingly evoke a continuity across the centuries.”
Fiere Attropos Mauldicte